what exactly is ccda

does ccda give you the knowledge to design cisco networks or is it just to be able to sell cisco products or both?

i would like to be able to design/upgrade different network infrastructures. will the ccda be a good start?

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mikej412

You can check out CCDA - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems

Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA®) validates knowledge required to design a Cisco converged network. With a CCDA certification, a network professional demonstrates the skills required to design routed and switched network infrastructures and services involving LAN, WAN, and broadband access for businesses and organizations. The CCDA curriculum includes designing basic campus, data center, security, voice, and wireless networks.

And then compare it with the Professional Level Design Certification -- CCDP - Career Certifications & Paths - Cisco Systems

Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP®) validates advanced knowledge of network design concepts and principles. With a CCDP certification, a network professional can discuss, design, and create advanced addressing and routing, security, network management, data center, and IP multicast complex multi-layered enterprise architectures that include virtual private networking and wireless domains. The CCDP curriculum includes building scalable internetworks, building multilayer switched networks, and designing network service architecture.

I'd say that an experienced CCNP could probably design a small to moderate sized network as well (or better) than a noob CCNA/CCDA. Plus the CCNP could actually BUILD the network.

But you have to start somewhere -- and for Cisco Network Design, that's the CCDA.

I'd say the CCDA is good for a pre-sales role -- but only if you're meeting with business wonks and not experienced techies.

A Cisco Business Partner may need a CCDA on staff to fill a role required for one of their specializations -- so having a CCDA could give you more job opportunities than not having a CCDA.

I have both the CCDA and CCDP (and the IP Telephony Design Specialization) -- but I was designing computer networks before Cisco even existed as a company (and long before I considered getting some Cisco Certifications). The IP Telephony Design Specialization Certificate is the one that has gotten me the most unsolicited job offers.

DevilWAH

mikej412 wrote: »

I have both the CCDA and CCDP (and the IP Telephony Design Specialization) -- but I was designing computer networks before Cisco even existed as a company (and long before I considered getting some Cisco Certifications). The IP Telephony Design Specialization Certificate is the one that has gotten me the most unsolicited job offers.

I was just looking at the CCDP as its only one extra exam and looks intresting if nothing else. Plus having only worked on one large network its always nice to be able to see other peoples ideas for how it "should be done".

But I would also have to get the CCDA first, I was just wondeing what people who have them think of them, I was thinking of reading up on he CCDA along side the CCNP studies and taking it at "some " point this year. how relevant is it in the work place.

I like the Idea of studying the CCDP material, but I am also keen to delve more in to security and CCSP. Considering that I work mostly in core switching and routing so either of these will just be for "fun". Would you go for the security side or design side first?

Ezlite

I am a strong advocate of design paths. The reason is that it gets engineers to start thinking in terms that are critical to getting a proposal through the buisness side of the company/corporation. It also provides a scalable base framework/methodology for larger projects.

Yes there is some Cisco "product"/"template" stuff in the mix and its somewhat annoying at times. All in all I think it is a great way to stand out in a pile of resumes.

Mrock4

As you may have seen in my "Scheduled the CCDA" thread, the CCDA exam cert guide is a LOT of filler. That being said, the fundamentals of design that are taught were pretty interesting to me. I would say if you are interested in design, without a doubt do the CCDA AND CCDP..because the CCDA seems almost too fundamental on it's own, but with the CCDP, you'd probably have a good base for network design.

Forsaken_GA

network design (and lets be frank, design these days usually means migration... you'll rarely get the opportunity or the budget to properly design a network from the ground up) can be summed up in a few steps.

Figure out what you need to do.
Sit down, turn off the tv and plan how you're going to do it. Yes, this means you also have to get artsy with pictures and stuff, and you have actually write documentation.
Be able to put things back the way they were in a big hurry when you break something (bonus points if you can do it fast enough that your boss doesn't notice, and you then tell him that part of the implementation is going to be held up because you realize it would have broken something)

DevilWAH

Mrock4 wrote: »

As you may have seen in my "Scheduled the CCDA" thread,

Cheers Just been looking through that. From what people are saying it seems to be a good over view with out to much depth. I do a bit of design any way at work so it would be nice again to get a "best practice" idea.

Looks like another one to add to the list

looks like it will keep my options open as I progress in networking.

Should have enough to keep me going for the next few years

CISCO is a pain, every time I start one exam I see 4 or 5 others I want to know about as well

Cheers..

DevilWAH

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

Be able to put things back the way they were in a big hurry when you break something (bonus points if you can do it fast enough that your boss doesn't notice, and you then tell him that part of the implementation is going to be held up because you realize it would have broken something)

Sod that, when I implement something I happy to let my boss watch over my shoulder. MY boss knows that out of the hundreds of changes I have made I can count on a single hand how many have caused a issue.

We run a full changed management system where every thing is recorded before a change is made, with implementation plans, expected impacts and a tested back out plan. Then if you have to back out you drop a report to the boss saying what went wrong, why it went wrong, how to fix it and how long it will delay things. Every thing above board and in the open. Managers know my skills and accept that things don't always go to plan.

We don't test on live systems, and hope we can back out of them if it goes wrong. That is bad practice..

I also think lucky me, I have got to design a few networks from the ground up, the current one being the main site network, or 1.5K users.

Forsaken_GA

*sigh*

Someone call me when the internet gets better at transmitting tongue-in-cheek

Though I will say this -

One of the most important skills an engineer needs to learn (which is not taught by any certification) is how to creatively word your official RFO's and your post-mortems with your non-technical superiors.

Mrock4

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

One of the most important skills an engineer needs to learn (which is not taught by any certification) is how to creatively word your official RFO's and your post-mortems with your non-technical superiors.

This is probably the most valuable skill I've learned by working a NOC. Reporting to the higher ups is a must, and eventually you know all of the silly questions they're going to ask long before they know them..and you have time to craft a response which is informative yet not over technological.

shodown

Mrock4 wrote: »

This is probably the most valuable skill I've learned by working a NOC. Reporting to the higher ups is a must, and eventually you know all of the silly questions they're going to ask long before they know them..and you have time to craft a response which is informative yet not over technological.

The 5 W's work very well for this. We make sure that we can answer at least of 4 of them before any report is sent out. If management can't get by with that information when its provided correctly they prob shouldn't be in a management role(that came from a higher level manager).

rcd140

Hi,
I need some advise. I have completed my CCNA and I am having some strong base of the CCNA since I read the TODD Lammle book and using **** just as a reference.
I need to take some other CISCO certification. I was planning to take CCDA.
Is it okay to take CCDA before CCNP??

I am thinking of my career path as CCNA -> CCDA -> CCNP -> CCDP -> CCIE.

Is this a good path to choose?

Thanks.
Raj

jamesleecoleman

rcd140 wrote: »

Hi,
I need some advise. I have completed my CCNA and I am having some strong base of the CCNA since I read the TODD Lammle book and using **** just as a reference.
I need to take some other CISCO certification. I was planning to take CCDA.
Is it okay to take CCDA before CCNP??

I am thinking of my career path as CCNA -> CCDA -> CCNP -> CCDP -> CCIE.

Is this a good path to choose?

Thanks.
Raj

So wait..
You know that you can't use **** to study or reference from, right?

rcd140

jamesleecoleman wrote: »

So wait..
You know that you can't use **** to study or reference from, right?

Yes.... But I always use the books and Nuggets videos to learn from......
Consider I am not using ****...... It is not a source of my knowledge......

mikej412

rcd140 wrote: »

Consider I am not using ****......

Right -- it's a source of CHEATING.

Bl8ckr0uter

rcd140 wrote: »

Yes.... But I always use the books and Nuggets videos to learn from......
Consider I am not using ****...... It is not a source of my knowledge......

Cool. We can't tell you what to do but we can tell you where to do it (not here my friend, not here

)

Back on topic:

Have you guys found that the CCDA/P is worth it (in terms if employer recognition)? I have seen more CCDA/P posting than any of the other Pro levels excluding CCNP. I wonder if that is because CCDA/P is older than the other pro levels. Is network design something that Joe Network Engineer needs to know (at the CCDP level) or is it something more in line with IT Managers/Sales .

Stotic

rcd140 wrote: »

Yes.... But I always use the books and Nuggets videos to learn from......
Consider I am not using ****...... It is not a source of my knowledge......

Yes, but it is a source of test answers.